OFFICIAL: Peugeot 308 is Car of the Year 2014

Peugeot 308 has been named Car of the Year 2014, the French model managing to overcome competitors like BMW i3 and Tesla Model S.

The new Peugeot 308 is awarded Car of the Year 2014

The new Peugeot 308 was awarded Car of the Year 2014 in the Palexpo convention center, at the first day of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. The jury consisting of European automotive journalists from the most popular publications on the Old Continent decided that French hatchback is the best of this year’s candidates. In second place was the new BMW i3 and on three the revolutionary Tesla Model S.

Car of the Year 2014 – Peugeot 308 & Runners-up

Peugeot has always made cars that the French liked. In the rest of Europe they were always second because the German rivals, more equilibrated and sober, were suited for the automotive culture on many more countries. And one of the fiercest battles between France and Germany has been given and gives today in the compact segment, where Peugeot always had a representative. The old 307 was a relatively decent car, but far from the segment leaders. Then came 308, a clumsy car with the same disease as its predecessors.

But this time Peugeot has chosen the winning card. And for the first time in history, no longer changed the number to designate the model. We should have mention the new 309, probably, but Peugeot decided instead that we will talk about the new… 308. Many would think that this is a facelift of the old 308, but this is far from the truth. We are facing a totally new car, and the French manufacturer has managed to combine, finally, an attractive design with a competent suspension and a minimalist interior, but sufficiently well done.

To be eligible for the Car of the Year 2014 competition, a model should be available on the market before the end of 2013 and the sales forecast must exceed 5,000 copies. A total of 30 cars were eligible for Car of the Year 2014, but after the first stages of the competition there were only seven models that competed for the title of Car of the Year 2014.

VIDEO: Car of the Year 2014 – Peugeot 308

[learn_more caption=”Car of the Year 2014: A clear win for Peugeot 308″]

In an announcement in Palexpo, in the eve of Geneva Auto Show, the Peugeot 308 has been named Car of the Year 2014. The winner received 307 points from the 58 Jury members, with top points from 22 jurors. Second and third, in a close race, were the two electric cars, BMW i3 (223 points) and Tesla S (216). In the group of seven Nominees, were also the Citroën C4 Picasso (182), Mazda3 (180), Skoda Octavia (172) and Mercedes S-class (170).

The CotY 2014 winner is not a ‘repeater’, as Renault Clio in 2006 and VW Golf last year; just sort of it, for the 307 -the compact Peugeot at the time- also won the award in 2002. Offered in 5-door hatchback and estate body styles, the 308 is the spearhead in Peugeot’s product offensive: Stylish and with new ambitions in quality and elegance. PSA’s new EMP2 platform allows big advantages over the previous model with the same nameplate. The new 308 is at the same time slightly shorter in length and with a bigger cargo area. This last virtue is very much pronounced in the handsome 308 SW, the estate derivative.

The new construction approach and the use of lightweight and composite materials save weight in an amount that Peugeot estimates up to 140 kg; a feature that improves performance and fuel economy. Launched with a limited engine range, the Peugeot 308 diversifies powertrains for 2014. The PureTech family of 3-cylinder petrol engines had already an aspirated 1.2 as the access option. The two versions of the new 1.2 e-THP, with direct injection and turbocharging, offer 110 and 130 hp, lots of torque and astonishing fuel consumption figures; in fact they better the official fuel economy of their 82 hp sibling. As for the BlueHDI diesel engines, now with four power levels up to 180 hp, they are homologated with outstanding emission figures starting at 82 g/km of CO2. Peugeot also announces for the 308 a new and efficient 6-speed automatic gearbox. Away from the popular dual-clutch trend, the converter-equipped transmission should add only marginal fuel consumption over the manual ‘box.